.IBF featherweight champion Luis Alberto Lopez defends his waistband against Angelo Leo in the main occasion of a Best Position on ESPN card at Tingley Col iseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Sunday (ESPN/ESPN+, 10 p.m. ET). Lopez's final loss resided in May 2019 as well as he has succeeded 14 successive matches considering that, consisting of impressive victories over Josh Warrington in England and also Michael Conlan in Northern Ireland. However is he the most effective featherweight in boxing?Vasiliy Lomachenko lately turned down a profitable match versus fellow light in weight champion Gervonta "Container" Davis as well as while he have not announced his retired life, will certainly our team see "Hi-Tech" in the band again?Canelo Alvarez will certainly create his 2nd ring appeal this year, however certainly not versus the fighter supporters have actually demanded. As Opposed To David Benavidez, Canelo will definitely experience Edgar Berlanga, who is actually never ever fought at this degree in his short occupation. While Berlanga possesses awesome electrical power-- he started his job with 16 successive first-round KOs-- may he find a way to win, or even a minimum of go the span versus Alvarez?Former abundant champion Anthony Joshua are going to fight for a title for the first time in pair of years. Joshua will definitely encounter IBF champ Daniel Dubois in Greater London, as "AJ" is actually chosen to end up being a three-time globe champ (-550 per ESPN WAGER). As well as two-division champion Danny Garcia goes back to the ring for just the 2nd time in virtually 4 years to take on WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara. Garcia, who won belts at 140 as well as 147 extra pounds, is actually going up in weight for the odds to come to be a three-division champion, however may he upset a more mature yet still highly effective Lara?Mike Coppinger and also Scar Parkinson respond to these inquiries and even more, making an effort to differentiate what's real and what's not.Real or not: Vasiliy Lomachenko will retire without another fightNot real ... for now. Lomachenko is actually contemplating retired life, resources informed ESPN, part of the reason he dropped a rewarding match along with Gervonta Davis in Nov. There is actually also a possibility that Lomachenko will certainly return in the initial half of 2025 to protect his IBF light-weight title.After all, Lomachenko (18-3, 12 KOs) seemed in a combating state of mind Sunday in Los Angeles: he as well as Shakur Stevenson needed to be actually divided at ringside throughout the Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov card. Lomachenko was actually found informing Stevenson, "Permit's go right now.If that's any kind of evidence, Lomachenko is going to fight once more. Perhaps even against Davis or even Stevenson, both biggest matches on the desk for him. However if he never ever laces up the gloves once again, Lomachenko's tradition is actually protected. He's a three-division champ, a first-ballot Venue of Famer as well as a mainstay of the pound-for-pound checklist over the final 10 years.He also does not require to eliminate for the cash. He is actually gained millions of dollars in his career and also still lives in Ukraine, where he is just one of the country's most popular athletes. Whether or not he battles once more, he undoubtedly will not do so much longer. He switches 37 in February.-- CoppingerReal or otherwise: Danny Garcia beats Erislandy Lara and also comes to be a champ in a third divisionNot actual. Garcia has actually outplayed the possibilities just before, featuring a shocking KO get Amir Khan as well as a leading selection success over Lucas Matthysse. The first win elevated him to the top echelon of the sporting activity and the latter cemented that status.But the Matthysse fight was actually 11 years earlier, however, and those two trademark Garcia success were at 140 extra pounds (he also won a label at 147 extra pounds as well as went up to 154 for a July 2022 gain Jose Benavidez Jr.) Garcia (37-3, 21 KOs) is still searching for a gain that matches that, and a dismayed triumph over Lara would certainly fit the bill.Garcia failed to look like the stinging counterpuncher in the majority-decision triumph over Benavidez, and also he have not competed considering that. Right now, he'll move up an additional body weight training class (though the Lara fight is taking place at a catchweight in between 155 and 160 extra pounds) as well as have to emulate ring inactivity. The Sept. 14 middleweight label battle versus Lara are going to be Garcia's 2nd since December 2020, when he was actually routed by Errol Spence Jr.The decide on below is actually Lara (30-3-3, 18 KOs), that, also at 41, reveals significant energy, albeit versus fighters beneath Garcia's amount. Lara is actually riding a three-fight KO touch.-- CoppingerReal or not: Canelo Alvarez's fight against Edgar Berlanga does not go the distanceCanelo Alvarez, left behind, shields his uncontested tremendously middleweight championship versus Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in Sin City. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty ImagesReal. Alvarez, boxing's best superstar, have not racked up a KO victory since he flattened Caleb Plant in a November 2021 match to win the undisputed incredibly middleweight championship.However, Canelo (61-2-2, 39 KOs) has racked up a presentation in his last 3 matches. Versus a fighter in Berlanga, who will certainly be actually battling on the top level for the very first time, Alvarez ought to add the 40th KO of his remarkable career.Berlanga (22-0, 17 KOs) has actually been hurt in the band in the past, namely in a step-up match against Marcelo Coceres, who dropped him in Cycle 9. As well as his self defense isn't specifically seem. Berlanga has energy (he began his job along with 16 successive KO succeeds in the preliminary), and also if he selects to exchange with Canelo, Alvarez must take him out.Alvarez vowed as a lot at a set of press conference recently to promote the fight.-- Coppinger Real or otherwise: Not one other lightweight champ can beat Luis Alberto LopezNot real. Rafael Espinoza looks a genuine risk to Lopez after agonizing Sergio Chirinho Sanchez in a four-round gain in June and defeating Robeisy Ramirez through a majority choice to succeed the WBO title in December. Espinoza (25-0, 21 KOs) knocked down Chirinho in three of the four shots, while his breakout win with Ramirez was just one of the most ideal fights in 2023. Editor's Picks1 RelatedAt 6-foot-1, Espinoza-- the highest planet lightweight champ in record-- will be actually an obstacle for Lopez. Chirinho prospered to stand up coming from an uppercut from Espinoza in Round 1, before he was actually quickly overwhelmed. As an expert, Chirinho had actually never ever been actually brought down before Espinoza swept him aside.Espinoza made a shock in beating two-time Olympic gold medallist Ramirez, and he outlanded him in the final three rounds. Although he is not as professional as Lopez, the volume of strikes he has actually included his last 2 matches, along with his elevation and also get to benefits, can confirm impossible for Lopez.Rey Vargas has looked unconvincing in recent battles, while our team still need to have to find much more from Nick Ball before our experts proclaim him the department's No. 1. Ball (20-0-1, 11 KOs) captured the WBA featherweight headline with a split choice draw Raymond Ford in June. That accomplishment complied with a questionable draw versus Vargas for the WBC label in March. Yet Espinoza will overlook 5-foot-2 Ball.Vargas was actually disappointing versus Sphere and has actually not gained in virtually 2 years, so it is actually hard to show an argument for him in his current form.Lopez (30-2, 17 KOs) is the existing ESPN No. 1 at featherweight after stopping Reiya Abe in eight rounds in a third defense of the IBF belt in March. Lopez has overcome significant obstacles in label battles, like boxing in a champion's home town and acquiring slice early (vs. Josh Warrington), and also if he gains on Sunday against Angelo Leo, he may possibly encounter his biggest challenge however in a label unification battle against Espinoza to crown the greatest fighter in the department.-- ParkinsonReal or otherwise: Anthony Joshua will certainly KO Daniel DuboisReal. As good as Dubois' rebirth has been merely a year after being dropped in Oleksandr Usyk, recent kind proposes his initial IBF abundant title defense will end in a KO defeat to Joshua.Joshua (28-3, 25 KOs) resides in best type, a lot more therefore than every other abundant. Like Dubois (21-2, 20 KOs), Joshua has had to rebuild his job, after experiencing back-to-back choice reductions to Usyk in 2021 as well as 2022. Joshua dealt with carefully, along with an unanimous choice draw Jermaine Franklin in April 2023, but in his last 3 fights, he finished off Robert Helenius, Otto Wallin and also Francis Ngannou.Dubois came back coming from Saudi Arabia to Greater london as IBF acting heavyweight champion after he stopped Filip Hrgovic in Around 8. Usyk after that relinquished the IBF waistband, which meant Dubois was actually improved to complete champ, consequently provides Joshua with the possibility to end up being a three-time world champ at Wembley Stadium in London.Joshua will try to exploit what Hrgovic had actually redoed results with against Dubois. Hrgovic continually landed right hands on Dubois in the early spheres, and Joshua has received latest matches how destructive his right-hand men want he ruined Ngannou in Sphere 2. Joshua landed a right hand on the previous UFC big-time champion's chin to knock him out chilly. Joshua will seize the opportunity if Dubois creates himself likewise on call, as he did versus Hrgovic. Joshua is actually a bigger puncher than Hrgovic as well as, although Dubois revealed resilience to absorb punches in June, he has been quit twice (by Joe Joyce in 2020 and Usyk in 2013) as well as was knocked down three times in the first round through Kevin Lerena before recouping to succeed in Round 3. But it is actually no stroll in the park for Joshua, that also needs to have to appreciate Dubois' electrical power. Dubois bungled Hrgovic's face as well as may likely carry out a shock blockage against Joshua, just like Andy Ruiz Jr. carried out in 2019. But Joshua, that concluded as champion coming from 2016 to 2019 and after that coming from 2019 to 2021, is more probable to succeed this battle by KO.-- Parkinson.